[1] Life of Binney, 104.

[2] Benton’s explanation of the delay of the Bank messenger with the petition for a recharter. Thirty Years’ View.

[3] Van Buren to Butler, Retrospect of Forty Years, by Butler, 39-43.

[4] Washington Globe, Nov. 17, 1832.

[5] Thomas Hamilton, Men and Manners in America, 14.

[6] Harriet Martineau, Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 143.

[7] Retrospect of Forty Years, 47.

[8] The present site of the National Hotel.

[9] Sargent’s Public Men and Events, I, 53-54.

[10] On the site of the present Metropolitan.

[11] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 43.

[12] Present site of the Willard.

[13] Retrospect of Forty Years, 48.

[14] N. P. Willis, American Scenery, III, 49.

[15] Men and Manners in America, 20, note.

[16] Four o’clock.

[17] Men and Manners, 20.

[18] Frederick Seward’s Reminiscences, 17-19.

[19] American Scenery, III, 49.

[20] Men and Manners, 17.

[21] Public Men and Events, I, 54.

[22] American Scenery, II, 55.

[23] Captain Marryat, A Diary in America, 163.

[24] Public Men and Events, I, 55.

[25] Public Men and Events, I, 54.

[26] Life of Crawford, 183.

[27] Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 160.

[28] Ibid., I, 144.

[29] Public Men and Events, I, 54.

[30] Godfrey T. Vigne, in Six Months in America, thought that “in the distance” Arlington “has the appearance of a superior English country residence.”

[31] The Octagon House still standing and being preserved by the Institute of American Architects.

[32] Men and Manners, 75.

[33] Miss Martineau tells of visits to the museum and the skylight, I, 159.

[34] William H. Seward’s Autobiography, I, 277.

[35] Ibid.

[36] Miss Martineau comments severely upon the levity of the women, I, 180.

[37] Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 179.

[38] Men and Manners, 16.

[39] Ibid., 65.

[40] Six Months in America, 64.

[41] Both Hamilton (Men and Manners) and Vigne, the English barrister (Six Months in America), were shocked at the utter lack of respect for the dignity of American courts, but were impressed with the solemnity and decorum in the Supreme Court.

[42] Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 165.

[43] Men and Manners, 21.

[44] Senator Tazewell of Virginia was one of these.

[45] Van Buren to Butler, Retrospect of Forty Years, 39-43.

[46] National Intelligencer, Jan. 30, 1831, advertised a house in Georgetown on Gay Street, “convenient for the accommodation of a genteel family, having all necessary outhouses, stabling, etc.,” for $300 a year payable quarterly.

[47] Public Men and Events, I, 55.

[48] Hamilton, in Men and Manners, comments severely upon this incongruity.

[49] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 143.

[50] Peggy Eaton and Mrs. Hugh Lawson White.

[51] Retrospect of Forty Years, 59.

[52] Near Fourteenth Street on the north side of the street.

[53] Adams’s Memoirs, March 8, 1834.

[54] Ibid., March 11, 1834.

[55] Ibid., March 12, 1834.

[56] Mrs. Margaret Bayard Smith, who recorded it in First Forty Years of American Society, Jan. 12, 1835, thought it exaggerated.

[57] Mrs. Seaton, wife of the editor of the Intelligencer.

[58] Mrs. Benjamin Ogle Tayloe lived in the house still standing on Lafayette Square, known in recent years as “The Little White House.” She was a famous hostess. President W. H. Harrison contracted the cold that killed him while walking through the slush from the White House to the Tayloes’ to offer a diplomatic post to the master of the house.

[59] First Forty Years, 356.

[60] Ibid., 368.

[61] Men and Manners, 17.

[62] Irving to Van Buren, Van Buren’s Autobiography, 610.

[63] Letters and Times.

[64] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 107.

[65] Story to Sarah Waldo Story, Life and Letters of Story, II, 117.

[66] Story wrote the following lines to Miss Kemble:

[67] Hone’s Diary, March 3, 1834.

[68] “The public is most respectfully informed that, in consequence of the weather, the performance advertised for Thursday is postponed until Saturday evening, September 17th, 1831.” (National Intelligencer, Sept. 17, 1831.) “The Tyrolese Minstrels have to announce that, in consequence of the severity of the weather, their concert which was advertised for Saturday will be deferred until Monday evening.” (Ibid., Dec. 19. 1831.)

[69] Advertisement in the Globe.

[70] Life of Binney, 127.

[71] Quincy’s Figures of the Past.

[72] This charge was made on the floor by Henry A. Wise.

[73] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 120.

[74] Men and Manners, 20.

[75] American Scenery, II, 50.

[76] Diary in America, 163.

[77] Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 143.

[78] A. Lafore, a coiffeur from Paris, had his establishment at Mrs. Doynes’s millinery store on the Avenue between Ninth and Tenth Streets, and advertised his skill in the local papers. National Intelligencer, Jan. 1, 1831.

[79] First Forty Years, Jan. 26, 1830.

[80] National Intelligencer, Jan. 2, 1831.

[81] National Intelligencer, Feb. 16, 1831.

[82] Miss Martineau thus describes the life of a lady of fashion, Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 145.

[83] First Forty Years, Nov. 7, 1831.

[84] Quoted by Ellet in Court Circles of the Republic, 163 n.

[85] Letter to Mrs. Sarah Waldo Story, Life and Letters of Story, II, 117.

[86] Figures of the Past.

[87] Mrs. Wharton’s Social Life of the Republic, 139, 179.

[88] First Forty Years, Aug. 29, 1831.

[89] Ellet’s Court Circles of the Republic, 226.

[90] A poet describing one of the Adams parties referred to “Forsyth with her group of graces”—her beautiful daughters.

[91] Retrospect of Forty Years, 60.

[92] Quincy, in Figures of the Past, was thus impressed, particularly with the daughter of Calhoun.

[93] These descriptions of Miss Martineau’s are in harmony with those that sprinkle the pages of Mrs. Smith’s work.

[94] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years, Miss Martineau’s Retrospect of Western Travel, and Adams’s Diary all indicate a gossipy city.

[95] Retrospect of Western Travel, I, 152.

[96] The original from “Alphonse” in possession of Waddy Wood, Washington, D.C.

[97] This, too, in the possession of Waddy Wood.

[98] Court Circles of the Republic, 180.

[99] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 168.

[100] Retrospect of Forty Years, 60.

[101] Mary C. Crawford, Romantic Days of the Early Republic, 207.

[102] Francis Blair’s description, quoted in Rufus Rockwell Wilson’s Washington, the Capital City.

[103] Hamilton, in Men and Manners, describes such garb at a ball given by the French Minister to the members of Congress.

[104] First Forty Years, Jan. 1, 1829.

[105] Butler, in his Retrospect of Forty Years, refers to this peculiarity of Fox’s (p. 61), and Bodisco, who gave the most brilliant dinners and dances, figured in the celebrated marriage to a girl of seventeen during Van Buren’s Administration.

[106] Washington Globe, Feb. 1, 1833, announces these operas with Miss Hughes and Mrs. Anderson in leading rôles.

[107] Advertisement in Washington Globe.

[108] Announcing the opening of a spring school, and commenting on the general preference for the spring over the winter term, Carusi, in the Globe of Jan. 3, 1831, explained the disadvantages of the winter term to be “the disagreeable and long walks ... the frequent inclemency of the weather, and the liability of sickness from exposure.”

[109] Advertisement of Birchard & Company’s Shows, Washington Globe, June 13, 1833.

[110] Chapman had not then been given the contract for the historical paintings in the Capitol rotunda, and exhibited fifty paintings on Pennsylvania Avenue, near Fourth Street, in the winter of 1833, charging twenty-five cents for admission and a catalogue. His advertisement in the Globe, Jan. 21.

[111] Retrospect of Forty Years.

[112] Six Months in America, 101.

[113] Figures of the Past.

[114] Weed’s Autobiography, 308-09.

[115] Bradley’s Life of Isaac Hill. This circular may be seen in the Congressional Library.

[116] Johnston and Woodburn’s American Political History.

[117] Adams’s Memoirs.

[118] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years, Jan. 1, 1829.

[119] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years, Jan. 1, 1829.

[120] Ibid., Jan. 12, 1829.

[121] Ibid.

[122] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years.

[123] Webster’s Correspondence.

[124] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years.

[125] Buell, in his Life of Jackson, says he went to the Indian Queen, “where he was temporarily domiciled.” Mrs. Smith and President Adams, who were on the ground, agree that he stopped at Gadsby’s. It is possible that he went first to the Indian Queen and then removed to Gadsby’s.

[126] Webster’s Correspondence.

[127] Wirt wrote Monroe asking his advice about resigning, and Monroe advised this course, but expressed the opinion that Jackson would not want to dispense with his services.

[128] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 96.

[129] Amos Kendall’s Autobiography.

[130] Later in the Cabinet.

[131] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years, 283.

[132] Adams, Crawford, and Calhoun.

[133] Van Buren was thus known in his day.

[134] Van Buren in his Autobiography ascribes his selection to the party managers.

[135] See letter of Tazewell to Ritchie regarding the establishment of a party organ in Washington in Ambler’s Life of Thomas Ritchie.

[136] See Hamilton’s Reminiscences, 101.

[137] See ibid., p. 97, on Ingham’s original ambition.

[138] Hamilton, in his Reminiscences, p. 99, makes this unqualified statement. Professor Bassett, in his admirable Life of Jackson, p. 416, says that Jackson told Calhoun to notify the delegation of his willingness to see them. Knowing the delegation to be opposed to the man he favored, and to prefer Van Buren’s candidate, it seems more probable that Hamilton was the emissary and not the Carolinian.

[139] The Carolinian’s opposition to Ingham was due to his tariff views.

[140] From speech of Branch, quoted in Haywood’s brochure on Branch, pp. 14-15.

[141] Adams knew of McLean’s treachery, and in his Memoirs denounces him bitterly.

[142] Adams’s Memoirs, Feb. 24, 1829.

[143] Ibid., Feb. 28, 1829.

[144] Wilson’s Washington, the Capital City, I, 251.

[145] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years, 295.

[146] Adams’s Memoirs, March 4, 1829.

[147] Perley’s Reminiscences, I, 98.

[148] Sargent’s Public Men and Events, I, 165-66.

[149] Hamilton, in his Reminiscences, p. 100, tells of his report to Jackson on Barry’s application.

[150] Hamilton. See Hamilton’s Reminiscences, 90-91.

[151] Mrs. Smith thus writes in the First Forty Years, and her salon was the center of Whig gossip.

[152] Mrs. Smith’s First Forty Years.

[153] Adams’s Memoirs, March 14, 1829.

[154] First Forty Years, March 12, 1829.

[155] Adams’s Memoirs, March 12, 1829.

[156] American Statesmen Series.

[157] Adams’s Memoirs, April 4, 1829.